This disclosure relates generally to mobile devices, and more specifically to a mobile hardware fob with a device ecosystem for modular I/O extension devices.
Current mobile devices, such as mobile phones, tablets, wearables, and other mobile devices are packaged in a form factor that includes all the input/output (I/O), power, and other hardware components needed for the mobile device to function as a self-contained entity. The mobile device may also include within its form factor additional feature components such as a camera, biometric reader, and so on. As device manufacturers continue to reduce the form factor size of mobile devices and in some cases to ensure a steady cycle of newly released product versions, they have continued to integrate these components into their mobile devices such that they are no longer removable. For example, most mobile phones no longer have a removable battery.
However, this creates an undesirable situation for a user. A user with a mobile device may become unsatisfied with a particular component of the mobile device. However, in order to change or upgrade that component, the user must replace the mobile device with a completely new mobile device that includes the changed component. Furthermore, as manufacturers design mobile devices to be more portable and lightweight, some components must be made smaller or made more limited in functionality to accommodate the newer form factor, resulting in an underperforming mobile device. As the mobile device market evolves, manufacturers also create mobile devices with more specific features that may be unavailable with other mobile devices or may differ significantly in specifications. This creates a fragmented market where mobile devices have vastly different capabilities, which makes developing applications and other tools for these devices more difficult.